Detergent dispensing device



Nov. 16, 1954 v w 2,694,555

DETERGENT DISPENSING DEVICE Filed June 27, 1952 INVENTOR. I M CF/Vf J .f/A/(Mm' United States Patent DETERGENT DISPENSING DEVICE Vincent J. Sinkwich, Bronxville, N. Y., assignor to E. F. Drew & Co., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application June 27, 1952, Serial No. 295,856

6 Claims. (Cl. 259-4) The present invention is directed to devices for dispensing detergents, more particularly to devices adapted to produce solutions of such detergents and feeding the same into washing machines.

In commercial washing operations the detergents used are generally fed into water in order to form solutions thereof and such solutions flow into the washing machine. Previously the detergent was fed directly into the pipe through which water flowed to the washing'machine but the solution of the detergent was not uniform. In the short time of travel it was diflicult to dissolve all of the detergent so that the washing machine at various times had various concentrations and amounts of detergent. In such a system it was difiicult to accurately measure and control the amount of detergent fed into the water line.

Various devices for overcoming these difliculties have been proposed but in general they have not been completely satisfactory. For example, in one of such devices the detergent was in a solid cake with motor driven brushes contacting the cake and water was caused to flow over the cake and brushes in order to form a solution. Because of the agitation by the brushes, foaming took place so that the solution had a very large volume and could not be adequately used in a washing machine. Also because of the presence of a motor and moving parts, wear and tear took place and water was likely to damage the motor. In another device a liquid detergent in a container or cup was fed through one or more small openings and a stream of water impinged upon the small stream of detergent, thus bringing it into solution. However, because of the swirling action, foam was produced, which made it almost impossible to adequately or accurately measure the amount of detergent entering the washing machine. Also the amount of detergent in the solution varied with the depth of the liquid detergent in the container and with the pressure of the water.

The present invention is intended and adapted to overcome the difliculties and disadvantages inherent in devices of the type described, it being among the objects of the present invention to provide a detergent dispensing device which is simple in construction, effective in operation, employing gravity feed and water in moving arts.

p It is also among the objects of the present invention to provide a device of the type described, which is automatic in its operation, which prevents the syphoning back of solutions, which provides a uniform feed of solution and which is adapted to form substantially saturated solutions containing uniform amounts of detergent.

It is further among the objects of the present invention to provide a detergent dispensing device which may be used with detergents of various types such as granular material, which is heavier than water, or jellied or liquid detergents which are lighter than water, with equal effectiveness.

It is still further among the objects of the present invention to provide a dispensing device which is adapted for general uses but in particular is adapted for use in connection with automatic dish washing machines and laundry machines.

In practicing the present invention, there is provided a container which may be of any suitable size and shape but which has a substantially flat bottom and of considerable depth. At one side of the container is a pipe Patented Nov. 16, 1954 leading from a source of water and having a cut-off valve in the pipe. A gooseneck extends over the rim of the container and extends into the upper end of a downwardly inclined tube. Said tube has one or more openings near the upper end thereof, the gooseneck extending to a point opposite said opening. The opening is at a point above the liquid level and the tube extends down into the liquid to a point near the bottom of the container.

On the side opposite the tube is an outlet pipe whereby liquid may flow by gravity from the container, said outlet determining and maintaining the desired liquid level. A vertical bafile extending both above and below the liquid level is attached to the side of the container in close proximity to the outlet pipe. The lower end of the battle terminates a substantial distance above the bottom of the container.

In the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof and in which like reference characters indicate like parts,

Fig. l is a top plan view of a detergent dispensing device made in accordance with the present invention, some parts being broken away, and

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view thereof, some parts being shown in elevation.

As shown in the drawing, the container 1 is a flat bottomed circular pan of substantial depth. The predetermined level 2 of liquid is maintained therein and a granular detergent 3 is placed in the bottom thereof.

On one side of the container near the upper edge thereof is fixed a bracket 4 which is just beneath the rim 5 of the container. By means of nut 6 a valve 7 is held in fixed relation to bracket 4. The valve has a handle 8 for adjusting the amount of liquid flowing through the valve. A pipe 9 extends from valve 7 to a source of incoming water and the flow of water is controlled by a valve such as a magnetic valve operated by an electronic instrument or by some other automatic, arrangement which is a part of the washing machine.

From the upper end of valve 7 there extends a gooseneck pipe 10 over rim 5, terminating at a point above liquid level 2. A tube 11 of larger diameter than gooseneck 10 has end 12 thereof fitting into the top of tube 11 and secured thereto. One or more elongated openings 13 are provided in the upper end of tube 11 on such an area that the discharge end 12 of gooseneck 10 is opposite said openings. The lower end 14 of tube 11 is bevelled so that the portion of the edge thereof near the inlet pipe 9 is higher than the opposite edge but is nearer the outlet pipe.

On the side of the container opposite valve 7 is a nipple 15 threaded into a suitable opening placed at the liquid level 2. Said nipple extends from elbow l6 and is held in position by nut 17. An outlet pipe 18 is connected to the washing machine. Close to the outlet is a bafile consisting of a flat vertical portion 19 and angular side portions 20 and 21 which are fixed to the inner face of container 1 by welding, riveting or the like.

In the operation of the device, a detergent 3 is placed in the container and water is allowed to flow into the container until the predetermined level 2 is reached. Handle 80f valve 7 is adjusted to allow the desired flow of water into the container. At times predetermined by the cycle of the Washing machine, water is caused to flow through pipe 9, valve 7, gooseneck 10 and tube 11. The tube is substantially filled with water and it flows by gravity into the container due to the head of water in the tube. This relatively gentle flow causes currents to be set up within the container by impinging upon the detergent as at 22 with an upward sweep shown at 23 forming a solution of the detergent. Because of the nature of edge 14 there will also be a flow on the opposite side of the tube, as shown at 24, which will further dissolve detergent. At the same time, liquid tends to flow out of exit opening 16 and, therefore, additional currents 25 are formed which impinge upon the detergent in the bottom of the container and saturate the solution. Partially saturated solutions may form along the surface 2 of the liquid but they cannot be drawn into the exit pipe because of bafile 19. As a result, as long as there is detergent in container 1, a substantially saturated solution thereof flows into an exit'pipe.

The dissolving action of the water flowing through pipe 11 causes a whirlpool suction in the upper portion of the injector so that when it is discharged from the bottom thereof, it forces the fresh water to circulate and agitate the detergent in container 1. This prevents splashing of water discharged from gooseneck 11 and it also draws in some air which further facilitates the solution of the detergent. Openings 13 have the important functions of eliminating the syphoning back of the solution out of container 1 when the flow of water from pipe 9 is cut ofi and giving visible means of determining the adjustment of valve 8.

In place of granular detergent 3 which is heavier than water, the device may also be used for dispensing solutions of substances which are lighter than water suc as jellied soaps, jellied synthetic detergents and the like. In such case, the flow of water through-injector tube 11 causes currents to be set up, as shown in Fig. 2, with such currents circulating to points near the top of liquid level 2, coming in contact .with the lower edge of the detergent which is floating in the water and thus dissolving the same. The lower end of injector tube 11 need not be beveled but may be of other forms, but the form shown in the drawing gives excellent results.

The presence of baffle 19 prevents such light detergents from flowing into exit opening 16. In such case baffle 19 may extend to a point near the bottom of container 1 so as to insure a substantially saturated solution of the light detergent being formed prior to being drawn out of the dispensing device. The baflle is open at both ends, extending above and below the outlet pipe. If by accident, the machine operator loads the device so as to clog the underpass, the water will rise and escape over the top of the bafiie, and not overflow out of the device. Due to the injector's agitation of the detergent in the device, a sufiicient strength of solution will 'rise and flow over the top of the bafiie and to the outlet pipe, until the level of the solid matter is diminished to a point where the water will enter the lower passage.

I claim:

1. A dispensing device for producing and feeding solutions of detergents comprising a container having a substantial depth and adapted to hold water to a predetermined level, an inlet pipe at one side of said container extending above the top thereof, a downwardly inclined tube attached to said pipe and extending below said level, said tube having an opening adjacent the upper end at the junction thereof with said pipe, said opening being above said level, an outlet pipe at said level, said outlet pipe being at the side of said container opposite said inlet pipe, the inclination of said tube from the vertical being slight and being in the direction of said outlet pipe, the lower end of said tube terminating a substantial distance above the bottom of said container, the space between said lower end and said bottom being adapted to hold a mass of granular watersoluble detergent material, and a baflie in said container adjacent to said outlet pipe at said level, said bafiie terminating above the bottom of said container and below I the level of said outlet pipe, whereby a current of water flowing out of the lower end of said tube is adapted to contact said material and to be deflected upward and mixing with the water in said container forming a I substantially saturated solution of said material.

2. A dispensing device for producing and feeding solutions of detergents comprising a container having a substantial depth and adapted to hold water to a predetermined level. an inlet pipe at one side of said container extending above the top thereof, a downwardly inclined tube attached to said pipe and extending below said level, said tube having an opening adjacent the upper end at the junction thereof with said pipe, said opening being above said level, said tube being at the inlet end of said I container. an outlet pipe at said level. said outlet pipe being at the side of said container opposite said inlet pi e, the inclination of said tube from the vertical being slight and being in the direction of said outlet pipe, the lower end of said tube terminating a substantial distance above the bottom of said container. the space between said lower end and said bottom being adapted to hold a mass of granular water-soluble detergent material, and a bafile in said container adjacent to said outlet pipe at said level, said baflie terminating above the bottom of said container and below the level of said outlet pipe, whereby a current of water flowing out of the lower end of said tube is adapted to contact said material and to be deflected upward and mixing with the water in said container forming a substantially saturated solution of said material.

3. A dispensing device for producing and feeding solutions of detergents comprising a container having a substantial depth and adapted to hold water to a predetermined level, an inlet pipe at one side of said container extending above the top thereof, a downwardly inclined tube attached to said pipe and extending below said level, said tube having an opening adjacent the upper end at the junction thereof with said pipe, said opening being above said level, an outlet pipe at said level, said outlet pipe being at the side of said container opposite said inlet pipe, the inclination of said tube being towards said outlet pipe, the inclination of said tube from the vertical being slight and being in the direction of said outlet pipe, the lower end of said tube terminating a substantial distance above the bottom of said container, thespace between said lower end and said bottom being adapted to hold a mass of granular water-soluble detergent material, and a baflle in said container adjacent to said outlet pipe at said level, said bafile terminating above the bottom of said container and below the level of said outlet pipe, whereby a current of water flowing out of the lowerend of said tube is adapted to contact said material and to be deflected upward and mixing with the water in said container forming a substantially saturated solution of said material.

4. A dispensing device for producing and feeding solutions of detergents comprising a container having a substantial depth and adapted to hold water to a predetermined level, an inlet pipe at one side of said container extending above the top thereof, a downwardly inclined tube attached to said pipe and extending below said level, said tube having an opening adjacent the upper end at the junction thereof with said pipe, said opening being above said level, said inlet pipe extending into said tube to a point opposite said opening, an outlet pipe at said level, said outlet pipe being at the side of said container opposite said inlet pipe, the inclination of said tube from the vertical being slight and being in the direction of said outlet pipe, the lower end of said tube terminating a substantial distance above the bottom of said container, the space between said lower end and said bottom being adapted to hold a mass of granular water-soluble detergent material, and a bafiie in said container adjacent to said outlet pipe at said level, said bafiie terminating above the bottom of said container and below the level of said outlet pipe, whereby a current of water flowing out of the lower end of said tube is adapted to contact said material and to be deflected upward and mixing with the water in said container forming a substantially saturated solution of said material. 7

5. A dispensing device for producing and feeding solutions of detergents comprising a container having a substantial depth and adapted to hold water to a predetermined level, an inlet pipe at one side of said container extending above the top thereof, a downwardly inclined tube attached to said pipe and extending below said level, said tube having an opening adjacent the upper end at the junction thereof with said pipe, an outlet pipe at said level, said outlet pipe being at the side of said container opposite said inlet pipe, the lower end of said tube being beveled so that the edge adjacent said inlet pipe is higher than the edge adjacent said outlet pipe, and a baffle in said container adjacent to said outlet pipe at said level, said bafiie terminating above the bottom of said container and below the level of said outlet pipe.

6. A dispensing device for producing and feeding solutions of detergents comprising a container having a substantial depth and adapted to hold water to a predetermined level, an inlet pipe at one side of said container extending above the top thereof, a downwardly inclined tube attached to said pipe and extending below said level said tube having an opening adjacent the upper end at the junction thereof with said pipe, an outlet pipe at said level, said outlet pipe being at the side of said container opposite said inlet pipe, the lower end of said tube being of such shape that the edge adjacent said inlet pipe is higher than the edge adjacent said outlet pipe, and a bafiie in said container adjacent to said outlet pipe at said level, said bafiie terminating above the bottom of said container and below the level of said outlet pipe.

I (References on following page) 5 References Cited in the file of this patent Number UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,603,460

Number Name Date 7,092 D11 R611 Oct. 19, 1915 5 Number 2 ,210 Hook Aug. 29, 1922 609,508

6 Name Date Kalinske July 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Feb. 16, 1935 

